Let's zumba

Whether you dance for fun or exercise, it's rare that you won't feel a hard-core sweat when you are done shaking your hips.

So what do you get when you put Latin, dancing and aerobics together? You get Zumba, which is one workout that is sure to leave you gasping for breath when you are finished.

Zumba is a Latin-infused exercise program that combines international music and easy-to-follow dance steps with interval training. How many people out there have wanted to get into Latin dancing, but have always felt that they needed a partner? Not with Zumba, this current Latin phenomenon.

Not only do you get to experience all the sultry and sexy moves of a Latin dance, but you are also burning 180 calories every 20 minutes. That means at the end of a one-hour class you will have burned over 500 calories. Just think of the possibilities if you Zumba three to four times a week.

As an added motivation, Julie Russell, owner of Latin Flair Fitness, dresses up in colorful clothing and stands on a high stage when she teaches her classes.

"Each class is an hour long and we start with a warm-up of basic moves," Russell said. "Then for the cool down we work with soft music."

In between, the heart of the workout is what will keep you coming back w more. Each Latin dance - cumbia, regaetone and salsa, just to name a few - gets your body pumping in different, unique ways while still giving you a sweat-infused workout. Cumbia focuses mainly on one side of your hips, and regaetone is a high-intensity cardio workout, while salsa dancing works your stamina and leg strength. The rhythm for each routine changes from slow to fast depending on the song and dance.

Although it's your hips that are getting the constant workout, Zumba ultimately focuses on the core muscles, especially the abdomen as well as the arms and legs. At the same time, each muscle group is being used with each routine, while giving you a looser, more relaxed kind of training.

Participants are always being challenged due to the multitude of movements. A Latin dance instructor took Russell's class to help build his endurance before a dance competition.

"You don't need a partner while doing Zumba because its focused for fitness," Russell says. "You are in a fitness format, but still feel like you are dancing. People who don't know how to dance, but are somewhat familiar with a high-low aerobic class will do just fine."

Zumba got started by Columbian aerobics instructor Alberto Perez. He forgot to bring his regular music to his aerobics class one day so he ran out to his car, grabbed all of his favorite music and improvised.

The rest is history and a new fitness craze. It first hit big in Florida's South Beach, where Russell got the opportunity to take two training courses with the legendary Perez.

The Columbian slang for Zumba pretty much says it all: "To move fast and have fun."

Zumba classes

• Julie Russell's classes are held on Mondays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m. at Gymkhana Gymnastics and Dance Studio, 1700 Tower Drive, Hanover Park. For those who want to give Zumba a try, a single class is $8, 10 classes are $60, 20 classes are $100 and 40 classes are $180. Visit www.latinflairfitness.org.

• For more information or to find a class in your area, see www.zumba.com.